"Will handle the problem in Batticaloa with caution"- Ramesh

[TamilNet, Sunday, 07 March 2004, 01:45 GMT]"Our leader has given us strict instructions that no harm should befall our people and our fighters in the Batticaloa- Amparai district in dealing with Karuna’s problem. We have devised plans to do this very carefully and with great caution. We have already started to implement these plans. We intend to go back and begin work soon," Commander Ramesh, the LTTE’s military leader for the Batticaloa-Amparai district told TamilNet Sunday.

"Karuna’s problem is his personal problem. It is the problem of a single individual. Everyone in the LTTE in the Batticaloa-Amparai district except Karuna is with our leader. Any difficulty should have been resolved through discussions with our Leader. We urged Karuna many times to discuss his problems with Mr. Pirapaharan. We told Karuna that if he is unable to speak directly with our leader we could take up the matter with him on his behalf. But he adamantly refused to heed our advice and he also refused to let us go to meet our leader."

Commander Ramesh said that he would deal with the crisis in Batticaloa without having recourse to any kind of coercion.

"The people of the Batticaloa-Amparai district have made great sacrifices for our liberation struggle. They have remained steadfast in their commitment to the cause. They will certainly not let our struggle be weakened by divisive forces. They are cooperating with us widely," commander Ramesh said.

Referring to the difficulties Tamils living in LTTE controlled areas will face in voting at the polls for Sri Lanka’s parliament in April, Commander Ramesh said: “We consider the elections as a singular opportunity to show the Sri Lankan state and the world that the Tamil people are politically united and stand firm in their commitment to their cause. We would make necessary arrangements for the people from areas controlled by us in Batticaloa Amparai district to vote in the election."